A Kind Of Magic
by Rysohl
Summary: PRMF. Chapter 6 FINALLY up! Follows the series and focuses on the events and happenings inbetween scenes and episodes, at least to my view of it. NickXander and therefore contains slash themes within.
1. Friends?

Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with Power Rangers in any way except for watching it. I write this for my enjoyment. No profit or anything like that. Now on with the story.

**Chapter 1: Friends? **

(Takes place during Broken Spell Parts 1 & 2)

Toby was taking the day off so they had free run of the 'Rock Porium'. Madison sat slumped down in a red leather chair, idly scanning the back of a random CD she had grabbed while Chip was running around, wildly flailing his arms in what was supposed to be an imaginary sword fight and Xander was doing something or another to his skateboard.

Vida Rocca watched her sister covertly out of the corner of her eye as while setting up the DJ equipment. Unlike Vida, Madison had always been the quiet and shy type. But she had never been this quiet before. She seemed so absorbed in her silence that she even forgot to be shy.

'So quiet she forgot to be shy? Does that even work?' Vida idly wondered as she watched Madison pick up the next CD from the pile.

Madison would try to tell her that she was worrying over nothing. She knew this. Maybe she was, but Vida figured it was better to worry too much that not at all. Madison is her baby sister and it was her job to look out for her.

She could tell something was bothering Madison, but she didn't have a clue what it was. She plugged in the cord she was holding and stood up, unconsciously brushing herself down.

Chip wildly dashed across in front of her chased by Xander's call for him to return his spanner followed by a lecture on proper tool etiquette.

Chuckling to herself, she caught what she was doing, she looked down to make sure she wasn't smearing grease or something all over her clothes.

'Yuck' Her random thought directed more at the colour of her top than any dirt that might be on it. It was too close to pink for her liking. Why couldn't she wear a cream coloured shirt like the guys? Toby has the worst taste in colours.

Not usually one to worry too much about her appearance, her thoughts quickly returned to her sister. She crossed the room to where she was sitting.

"You're really quiet today." She said, crouching down next to her sisters chair.

Madison looked up and frowned at the bluntness of her sister. Vida wasn't much for dodging around what needed to be said either.

"I'm always quiet." She looked away from her sister and back to the cover of the CD. Trying to look like she was absorbed in the bland cover art.

"Hey! I know you better than that sis." Vida poked her to reinforce her statement. Vida knew she hated to be unnecessarily touched, though she couldn't figure out why. Madison was such a gentle and kind person. Whenever she asked about it, Madison would change the subject. "The fact that I know you wouldn't be caught dead listening to that gives it away." She gestured to the CD in Madison's hand.

"It's…" She hesitated. She didn't know if she wanted to tell this to Vida or not. She knew Vida wouldn't intentionally hurt her by revealing whatever she might tell her, but she did tend to get a loose tongue when angry. "It's stupid. Don't worry."

Vida probably had enough on her mind without her adding her teenage angst to the mix.

Vida's eyes narrowed fractionally at this. "Well… OK then."

Vida wasn't, but she wasn't going to pry. She knew it would just cause her sister to close off more, and she knew Madison would talk when she felt like it.

Madison could tell Vida wasn't entirely satisfied with her answer. She just wanted to do something mindless and distracting for a while, not be thinking her sell into depression on something so trivial.

"Just remember, you can talk to me about anything whenever or wherever you want." She knew she was probably overdoing it with the sisterly support, but she wanted Madison to be happy. "Now…"

Madison watched as Vida dug around in her pocket to find something, pulling it out when she did.

"…I just happen to have the key to Toby's storage cabinet." She said, knowing Madison would love to get her hands on it. Madison's eyes lit up at the sight of the shiny little key in her sisters hands "How about we break out Toby's camcorder."

'She knows me too well.' Madison thought to herself as she grabbed the key from Vida and dashed off to Toby's office.

-

'That was freaky.' He thought as he picked himself up off the ground after the random freak earthquake and went to pick up his fallen bike. 'I supposed its not unusual. This is California(1) after all.'

Hopping back on his bike after the earthquake, Nick Russell resumed his ride down the hill towards his new home of Briarwood. The road was lined with endless rows of trees, but Nick saw none of it. He was wrapped up so deep in his own thoughts, he didn't see anything, and his body was on autopilot.

'I didn't mean for anything to happen.' He repeated over in his head.

He rounded the last corner in the road to see the forests open up to reveal the place where he was now to live. The place seemed nice enough. But it wasn't the town he didn't like. It was the reasons he was forced to live here instead that he wasn't happy about.

'Not happy about?' He thought. 'That's an understatement. It's more that I'm majorly pissed off!'

'Home sweet home,' His thoughts seething in bitterness.

-

Xander skated past Vida, trying to shake some of the freaked out feeling from the earthquake earlier.

"XANDER! If you scratch my car I'll beat you with that skateboard!" Vida threatened.

Xander just rolled his eyes. He knew Vida liked to talk tough, but he would have to ask Madison if it was all a front and she wasn't just as girly as… well, a girl.

Lining up with a bike resting up against some bins, he attempted a jump over it. The back wheels hooked on the bikes frame, and the skateboard stopped. But Xander kept moving, sending him flying. He managed to land without a scratch anywhere except his dignity as Madison's feet came into view. Why couldn't she turn it back onto the guy across the road she was ogling?

"Xander!" She asked in a worried voice. Crouching down, she brought the camera level with his face. "You almost landed on me and broke the camera!"

Xander jumped up as Madison pretended to fawn over the camera. Or maybe she really was. He couldn't tell.

"Mad." He mock growled, and she looked up in surprise. Lunging towards her, she twisted away giggling.

"Guys! Want some pizza!" Chip's voice rang out from down the hill. He had left to get pizza an hour ago, and was finally returning.

Vida looked up from the magazine she was reading, Chips voice even piercing through the music blaring from her headphones. Seeing a pizza box in his hand, she shuddered. Knowing Chip there was probably something really disgusting on that pizza. Looking back to her magazine she was distracted again as Madison directed the camera her way. Looking up and giving a small smile and a wave just for her benefit, she went back to reading. Until yet another distraction drew her out of her own little world.

"Please, somebody! Please help!" An old man was yelling. Vida leapt off the tailgate of her car and walked across the road, ahead of the others.

And that's when everything went crazy started going crazy.

-

As they followed the old man towards the spot where he said his brother had been taken. Chip and Vida walked a short distance behind the old man and the new guy.

Chip was bounced alongside Vida as they made their way along. "This is so exciting! It's an adventure! It's us versus mystery. Any number of things is said to live out here and we might get to see them up close! It's…"

"CHIP!" Vida all but screamed at him. The other 2 members of their strange little party turned quickly. Even a pack of crows took flight from the nearby trees. "Would you please… STOP… TALKING."

Vida picked up her pace to catch up with the others while Chip resumed bouncing along wrapped in his own thoughts instead. She came up along side the new guy and matched his pace.

"So anyway. I'm Vida." She said, extending a hand. "And the crazy one back there is Chip."

"I'm Nick." The new guy replied as he shook her hand. He turned back to face the old man, "But I didn't get your name."

The old man stopped walking and studied him for a moment. Nick had to resist the urge to squirm. Looking back to Vida, just for something else to look at, she seemed as uncomfortable with the old man as he did. Turning back, he found the old man was no longer looking at him, but pointing slightly up the road.

"There." He said, starting to walk up towards the spot where he pointed.

Nick traded glances with Vida, before he reluctantly followed. Vida studied Nick's back for a moment, before following, shaking her head.

'This doesn't seem like such a good idea anymore.' She thought to herself, unaware that Nick was beginning to have similar thoughts.

-

'Why am I following a sheep anyway?' Nick asked himself as he followed Claire out of the forest. 'This day is getting more and more freaky as it goes.'

Claire, despite turning herself into a sheep, was a nice but eccentric girl. But Nick supposed that would be expected from someone who believed themselves to be a sorceress in training. He still refused to believe that this was all magic. There had to be a more logical explanation.

'You saw her turn into a sheep with your own eyes.' His mind reminded him. 'And what about all the things Udonna can do?'

Much to his own annoyance, he had to concede, they could do a lot of strange things. And the way Udonna introduced herself, he thought she sounded like she was very well known and that they should know of her, even if she knew they wouldn't. Udonna remained very much an enigma to Nick.

"Udonna's very powerful," Claire semi-bleated at him. It was almost as if she could read his thoughts. "After the kinds of things you've seen her do, how can you still not believe."

"I just figure if there is such a thing as magic and you can do anything you want, then why is the world such a crappy place?" The question burst out before he could stop it.

"Magic isn't a natural thing in your dimension as far as I know. But even if it was, magic is not the kind of thing you can use frivolously. To cast without a care is the way of the dark. Udonna told you about our dimension?" The sheep girl looked up at him. It was so disturbingly strange to see a sheep imitate human motions.

"She told us…" Nick stopped himself. He still wasn't sure about it all. He wasn't going to go talking about magic and other dimensions like it was an everyday thing. "Some of that story."

"It's not a story, it's the history of my home." Even when offended, her voice didn't lose that eccentric quality.

"I didn't mean to offend." He replied hastily, and once more wondered why since he didn't believe her anyway.

"Well you should realize by now that our world was far from perfect too. It was overtaken by dark forces, I think that's just about as far from perfect as you can get."

The finally neared the edge of the forest. Nick fidgeted as they walked, feeling more uncomfortable with every second. He would be glad to get out of here. Something cool and wet land on his hand, and he glanced down instinctively. Glancing up he looked around them. Snow fell all around them.

"It's snowing!" Claire's surprised sheep-voice sounded as amazed as Nick was.

"That's weird." He said looking around before glancing up into the sky through the trees. "Not a cloud in the sky."

"Oh no!" Claire's worried voice drew his gaze back down to Earth. She turned and began to run back the way they came. "Udonna! Baaad! Baaad!"

Nick considered following her, given how worried she seemed. But he had finally gotten out and he figured if Udonna was seriously that powerful, she wouldn't need any help. Vida and the others were still with her.

Nick turned and headed back towards the city.

-

'Oh god, how embarrassing' Madison thought to herself as she turned away from Nick.

She had just wanted to have a small chat with him and get to know him in the hopes he wouldn't leave. Then she had tried to convince him not to leave and made a complete ass of herself.

Looking over her shoulder she waited until Nick went back to his bike before she sat down on the opposite side of the Rock Porium van. She was crushing big time. She was so sure even he would have noticed too. So she had opted for the quick getaway.

'Why does he move around so much anyway?' she wondered idly, trying to forget her embarrassment. 'It sounds like he has plenty of places to stay, so why does he run onto the next?'

A voice broke her out of her thoughts, but it wasn't one she expected to hear. Standing up she looked through the windows of the van and out the other side. There stood Udonna talking to Nick. She watched as Nick growled at a guy in a business suit who was looking at him like he was crazy.

'Noone else can see Udonna.' She realized. She shifted around the van a bit more so she could hear better without being seen.

Udonna was trying to convince Nick that it was his destiny to be a Ranger by the sound of it. Which prompted Nick to throw back what sounded like, at least to Madison, some very self-depreciating words.

'He's young, attractive and can be a superhero, so why does he feel so down about himself?' Madison wondered. She shifted into a standing crouch. 'Maybe I should just leave them be.'

Checking to see if Nick's focus was completely on Udonna, she moved for the door to the Rock Porium. She was barely in the door when Vida dashed past her, followed by Chip. She started running out again with them just in front of Xander.

"Come on." Vida called despite the fact Madison was already moving.

They dashed towards the tree they emerged from earlier.

-

Nick rode along the road out of Briarwood, the same one he entered on.

Isn't about time you owned up to who you really are? Udonna's words of wisdom followed him as he moved.

'Get out of my head. I can't be who you want me to be.' He thought to the memory.

'You can't be or you're scared to be?' His mind proceeded to tell him.

"Shut up." He hissed to his thoughts out loud. Shaking his head in un-amused bitterness. "Great! Now she's got me talking to myself. For real this time."

He continued driving along in silence until a vision of the Rangers in danger flashed before his eyes.

"Oh no." He said as he began to pull over.

Whipping off his helmet, Nick glanced around him. Idly he wondered if it was to identify the source of the vision or to get his bearings. Finally with resolve, he jammed his helmet back on and drove into the forest towards where he felt he needed to be.

-

Nick had ended up joining them and staying after all and Madison couldn't be happier. She really liked him, and she was hoping that something might happen. She even felt jealous when that blonde came into the store and wanted him to help her.

But it was then that she began to realize. Something about the way he was emphatically stating that he didn't work there, and tried to worm his way out of assisting this really attractive blonde woman just didn't seem right. Especially given the way Xander and Chip had jumped to their feet when she made her 'dramatic' entrance.

Her heart froze. Her stomach dropped. A lump formed in her throat.

It was all so clear to her now.

Nick was gay.

Maybe she'd have to settle for friends…

End Chapter 1 

**First chapter done. Response lots more story, not to say there wont be more if people don't respond, but reviews fuel my muse.**

(1) Since most of the past seasons have been set in California, I just assumed the same of Mystic Force.


	2. Testing The Waters

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers Not mine. I own original characters though._

**Chapter 2: Testing The Waters**

(Takes place immediately following 'Broken Spell')

'Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Nick isn't gay. Maybe I was reading him wrong. He could just be shy. Like me? Yes that could be it.' Her realization had her thoughts racing. She was starting to hyperventilate and Vida was giving her questioning looks. 'OK Madd, just calm down. Breathe. Don't go running off on random possibilities. It's the facts that matter.'

She sighed feeling a little better, drawing another curious glance from Vida. Flicking her gaze away from Nick, hoping her sister wouldn't trace her train of thought. She turned to her sister.

"Hey! You wanna go shopping!" She bubbled trying to distract her sister in case she had noticed.

"Wow, you're in a better mood now." Vida commented.

"Yeah, I guess it's just a Power rush. You know, like those stories of other Power Rangers you read in the comic books?" Madison said in reply.

"You read comic books?" Vida asked incredulously.

"No." Madison rolled her eyes at her sister. She claimed she knew her well. "I know of them though. Xander reads them."

"Ahh," was all Vida said, a slight grin twitching at the corners of her mouth.

"No!" Madison exclaimed, realizing what her sister was thinking, the volume drawing the gazes of Xander and Chip. Grabbing Vida's arm, she pulled her out of hearing range. "No, no, no, no. I do NOT like Xander. I mean he's cute and all, but no!"

"Really. Well I think if we go back over what you were filming earlier today we'd see a whole lot of him." Vida smirked back at her sister.

"Only because most of the time you and he are trading threats and jokes. If anything, I'd say YOU were the one with a thing for him." said Madison.

Vida's cheeks reddened as she whapped her sister on the head with some rolled up paper. "Don't say such ridiculous things! OK lets go shopping."

Madison watched in disbelief as her sister trekked towards the door. Vida not having to be dragged shopping? What was the world coming to? She even forgot they were supposed to be working.

'I better go stop her.' She shook her head in amusement.

-

Xander watched Madison run out after Vida, wondering what they were up to.

'Trying to ditch the work on the rest of us?' Xander contemplated knowing full well they were more responsible than that.

He stood next to Chip leaning against the counter. Xander turned to face him, studying him and his distracted silence for a moment before he spoke.

"You still up for laser tag tonight? We need to know numbers. We can book in advance." He asked the redhead.

"Hmm?" Chip turned to him, apparently not hearing him. Xander repeated the question, "Oh. Um I don't know. I was thinking of going out into the forest to see Udonna and Claire. Much to learn and all!"

"Really? Udonna will tell us when its time for training." He studied Chip's distracted nature again.

"What?" Chip turned his attention back to Xander, but didn't wait for clarification before replying. "Yeah sure, that's great."

Xander watched as Chip absently wandered off.

'What is with everyone today?' he thought to himself.

Leaning back against the counter, he watched their newest employee attempt to help his loud and obnoxious customer. He chuckled to himself at the poor guys misfortune.

'At least it wasn't me.' He thought, watching the intense questioning and awkward answering continue. Shaking his head, he wandered off to where he left his tools to play around with his board again. Nothing really needed to be done with it, but there was nothing to do at work anymore either so he needed something to do, he was getting bored.

Glancing towards Nick and his customer every now and then. 'Someone has to make sure she doesn't scare him off.'

A noise in the door drew his gaze. Vida and Madison reentered, talking quietly. Looking up, Madison caught his eye and dragged Vida over towards him.

"What's up?" He asked as they approached.

"We were thinking of going shopping after work. Wanna come?" Madison queried, sending a sideways glance at her sister, which baffled him.

"Uh, nah sorry. Got some stuff that needs doing at home. I'll still catch up with you at the laser tag tonight. You are still coming, ay?" He replied, his accent thickening as he spoke.

"Yeah sure. Where's Chip anyway?" Vida spoke up. "We should ask Nick if he wants to come too."

"Chip is in some weird sort of state." Xander informed her. "It's called silence. Which is weird especially for him."

"Leave it to me," said Madison, causing her sister to shoot her another glance. 'Damn. Busted. Wait. Nothing's up, so why am I so worried?'

"Sure, you go do that, and I'll keep your sis out of trouble." Xander suggested, attempting to draw the predictable protest from Vida.

"Keep me out of trouble? You are the one who goes around stealing peoples cars and 'reasoning' with the evil undead?" She shot back, completing the comeback with air quotes.

"I didn't steal your car. I borrowed it without asking." Xander replied. "And I…"

Madison tuned them out as she approached Nick and the customer, who was ranting on about something, but by the look in his eyes, Nick was feeling bored and uncomfortable. She hesitated before walking up.

"Hey Nick." She said approaching from behind him. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Nick's eyes filled with gratitude for having a distraction. "Uh yeah, sure we were just wrapping up here."

The customer just rolled her eyes and turned to leave the store.

"Thank you so much. I owe you." Nick sagged in relief, eliciting a giggle from Madison. "So what's up?"

"We were all planning to go playing laser tag tonight, and we were just wondering if you want to come too." She managed to ask smoother than she expected, given her earlier inner monologue.

"Sorry, I can't. Gotta unpack and get set up at my sisters." He replied, face still neutral. Upon seeing her disappointed look, he added, "But hey, if it's a common thing, maybe another night."

"Sure." She smiled a little at that. She went to turn around when a thought struck her. "Oh hey, don't suppose you would come to the mall with Vida and me when we're done with work in an hour or so?"

Nick pondered the idea a bit. He needed some new stuff, and it would be a perfect opportunity to get to know his new… What were they now? Teammates? Coworkers? Friends? 'Guess I'll have to find out.'

"Sure. I need to get some new things anyway." He smiled slightly at her.

Madison didn't know if he was agreeing because he enjoyed shopping or out of real practicality. But since when did it matter? He was coming and she could talk to him some more. Get some of those facts she needed.

"Cool." She forced a smile, hoping it didn't look pained, and turned to head back to her sister.

What if the facts proved her suspicions true?

-

Nick walked between Vida and Madison as they casually made their way through the mall. He couldn't help but feel oddly trapped, as if under guard. Neither of the girls seemed to notice his tension. They were both chattering away in that way that sisters, or even just girls, often do.

"So Nick," Vida's voice broke him out of his thoughts, "Madison tells me you move around a lot. Why is that exactly?"

Wow. She didn't tiptoe around the issue. "Uh…"

"Vida." Madison rolled her eyes at her sisters' typical forwardness. She shot Nick an apologetic look when he caught her eyes. She shrugged minutely.

"It's not something I'd prefer to talk about yet." Nick replied honestly.

"That's cool." Vida told him. She may have little tact but she wasn't going to pry. She appreciated honesty. She turned to Madison with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "So sis, you think we should review his wardrobe?"

Madison's eyes widened, "Oh Vida, I don't think he could handle your idea of a review."

Nick had to resist the urge to back away at the sudden change in the girls' attitude. He didn't like the look of that smirk Vida was giving him. He involuntarily took a step back, which caused Vida's smirk to grow.

"Maybe you're right." She turned and resumed walking, calling over her shoulder as she walked, "Lets hit the food. I'm starved."

They all split off to fetch their own food. Vida found them a table, being first one out, and Madison joined her not too long after.

Madison sat across from her sister while they waited for Nick to return with his food. She stared at her own food, giving it a poke every now and then for good measure. She was pondering the puzzle that was Nick once again. He wasn't like any other guy she knew. Where any other guy would have gone for the unhealthiest thing they could find, Nick had headed straight to get a salad.

'Maybe he just cares about his health.' Madison tried to reason with herself.

She looked up and her eyes met those of her sister. Vida was giving her the worried curiosity look again. She unconsciously sighed, which seemed to solidify Vida's resolve.

"OK. What's the deal? I thought you liked Nick." Vida queried.

"I do." Madison hesitated momentarily before continuing. "Maybe that's the problem."

"What do you mean?" Vida was just looking worried now but less than a second later, her expression shifted into amusement. "You're crushing!"

Madison ducked her head to hide from the curious looks thrown their way at Vida's exclamation. A glance to the left told her Nick was also looking in their direction.

"Vida please!" She hissed. "Maybe I am, but I don't think it matters. I'm not sure he'd be interested in me."

"Why do you say that?" Vida pressed.

"It's just…" She flicked her gaze to locate Nick before she dared continue.

"Hey, sorry that took so long." Nick settled in a chair, placing his plate on the table. "What you talking about?"

"Nothing!" Madison jumped in before Vida's boundless honesty could spill the beans.

Nick gave her a curious glance but didn't comment on her haste.

"Sorry, girl talk, you know." She blurted out the only excuse that guys wouldn't question.

Nick for a moment, looked as though her would ask more, but must have thought otherwise giving a small shrug and proceeding to eat.

Vida shot her sister yet another questioning glance. She mouthed to her sister "What was that about?"

"Later," Madison mouthed back to her.

-

A lone figure sat by the bed, scribbling away furiously in a black covered book, filling it with all his secrets, feelings and desires. He wrote about a girl. She intrigued him so much, but he didn't know a single thing about her. But he wanted to learn more about her. She was a mystery to him and he was never one to turn down a mystery.

Finishing the last sentence, he carefully closed the small book, and placed it into a draw beside the bed.

Standing up, he looked around for a change of shirt. He was feeling a really unusual and inexplicable pull to wear something yellow.

-

Vida cruised along in her car heading for Chip's place. Madison sat in the front seat beside her, silent but for the sound of her brain working at a mile a minute. Many emotions played across her face, and Vida had to wonder what had her sister's emotions so in conflict.

"You're brooding again sis." Vida broke the silence. Madison was beginning to worry her, "You've been at it all day. Want to tell me what's up before we get to Chip's?

"It's nothing." Madison replied. "I'm worrying over nothing. Don't worry about it."

"What's got you worried? Is it about Nick?" Vida glanced to catch her sister's reaction. She wasn't disappointed, Madison's head shot up and she turned towards her.

"What makes you think it has anything to do with Nick?" Madison snapped.

"Because of our little conversation earlier." Vida continued unfazed. "Don't think I forgot about that."

Madison slumped down in her seat slightly, and Vida wondered if she had closed off completely.

"Do you think Nick's gay?" Madison's voice asked minutes later.

The question caught Vida by surprise, as she swerved a bit across her lane, before straightening up. "Damn sis, a little warning next time."

"Sorry." Madison replied, but her tone betrayed the fact she wasn't sorry at all. She was actually kind of glad to have something other than the calm, go with the flow attitude Vida normally would show around her.

"No you're not." Vida knew her too well. "What brought this on anyway?"

"Well I guess as you already known, I… kinda like him." Madison looked out ahead of them, not meeting her sister's eyes. "But he's just not like any guy I've ever know. He's nice, without being too nice if you know what I mean."

"You think he's gay because he's nice?" Vida asked incredulously. "I would have gone more by the fact he was buying hair-removal wax from the store while we were at the mall. He thought we didn't see."

Madison's eyes widened. "What? How did I miss this?"

"You were too busy with the Dawson's Creek impersonations to see much." Vida smirked at her.

"Shut up." Madison playfully hit her as they pulled up at Chip's house, Vida furiously hammering the horn.

Oh god. That didn't help at all she realized. The scales were shifting away from her advantage.

"If it helps," Vida's voice broke her inner angst. She saw Chip hurrying towards them, "Don't give up on him. You may still have a chance. He could just be metro."

Metro? Oh god. That didn't help much either. But at least there was a chance.

-

As Vida pulled up in front of him, Xander jumped into the back seat of her car. He was the last one they needed to pick up though a couple of other people would be meeting them at the laser tag. Chip was babbling away as usual. Madison being the person she was, made a good show of seeming like she was enjoying it all, too nice to tell him to stop. Or maybe she really did enjoy it. He didn't know.

"So let's roll!" he cheered as Vida pulled back onto the road. "Did I ever tell you how well your car drives V?"

Vida shot him a venomous look as best as she could while still driving. "What did I say about my car Xander?"

"That I can borrow it any time and do whatever I want with it." Xander flashed her a cheeky grin.

Vida just rolled her eyes, her expression lightened by the smile that threatened to break out.

"We're almost there." She announced to the car.

"Awesome!" Chip cheered.

Madison was grinning at his enthusiasm.

Pulling into the car park behind the place, Vida parked the car and they all poured out.

Xander walked slightly ahead, enthusiastically waving to the small group waiting by the doors.

"Manda! Tez! Where you been? How was the holiday?" he approached a blonde girl and red haired girl. Vida rolled her eyes.

Vida didn't understand how Xander could be so self-assured yet so oblivious to how so many girls fell head over heels for his natural charm.

"V! Long time no see." A voice came from behind and a hand landed on her shoulder.

She had to resist the urge to grab the hand and flip the 'attacker' to the ground. Damn Ranger instincts. Instead she turned around to face the light-haired guy.

"Hey Alec." She rolled her eyes at him. "Just so you know, you're teaming up with me and Madison. There's no way I'm going with Xander or Chip."

"Teams are four people, who's gonna join us then?" Alec answered, looking back towards the rest of the group all chattering together.

"Tim!" Vida called, dashing over to the group, and pulling a dark haired guy out of the small gathered group. "Tim, you are going to be on a team with me, Alec and Madison. OK?"

"Sorry V, but I already said I'd team with Chip." Tim shrugged.

"What are you crazy?" Vida asked. "Forget it then, if you are crazy enough to team with Chip, I don't want you."

"Amanda. Teri." She ran over to the 2 girls. "Will one of you team with Madison, Alec and I? Please!"

"Sorry Vida, Chip drafted us already." Amanda smirked at her. "There's only one person left. The only one who was dumb enough to go to the bathroom during team picking."

"Who's dumb?" Xander asked as he walked into hearing range.

"I hate you." Vida calmly told Amanda.

-

Great. Xander HAD to be paired with Vida. She was too busy attempting to insult him she kept getting herself 'killed'. Xander stopped walking as Vida fired off another crack.

"V, focus or the others are going to win solely off killing you." Xander drawled turning to face her.

"Are you saying I can't play?" Vida asked accusingly.

"No, I'm saying you aren't playing." He replied. "I know you can play because you kicked all our arses last time."

Vida glared at him. He just returned her stare, until he noticed a light walking down a passage behind Vida.

"Tez." He pointed over Vida's shoulder just as her pack registered another death. "Well, at least you make a good meat shield. Lets get her!"

"Oh you're so funny." Vida snapped back as she dashed after Xander in pursuit of the red head girl.

Xander remained in pursuit of Tez until he finally managed to register a kill. He started a little victory dance in his own honor, turning to face Vida when he noticed she wasn't behind him. He was sure she was following. Suddenly Vida came flying around the corner, slamming into him, knocking them both to the floor.

"Fancy seeing you here." He remarked as she lay on top of him.

"Chip was chasing me." She panted in reply.

"Never saw the day you would be throwing yourself at me." Xander smirked at her.

Vida suddenly became all too aware of how they were positioned. Jumping to her feet, she moved as far from him as the walls would allow. Her face was hot, and she hoped the dark hid her face well enough.

"You OK, V?" Xander asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. She wished he would just go away and spare her the embarrassment.

"Yeah I'm fine." She said hastily, to try and get him away from her. But Xander just grabbed both her shoulders, and turned her to face him. She took a step back into the wall. 'Uh oh.'

"Why Vida." Xander leaned in closer to get a better look at her face. "Are you blushing?"

"I… I…" she stammered, making the mistake of looking up and making eye contact with Xander.

She stood, caught in his gaze. Running on instinct, she began to lean in, eyes fluttering closed.

Xander's pack announcing a death broke the moment, causing them both to jump.

"Gotcha." Chip's voice announced, and Vida looked past Xander to see him dashing back out the door.

She looked back towards Xander, only to find he had already made his way across to a door on the other side of the room. Stopping in the doorway, he looked over his shoulder at Vida. For a moment she thought he would say something. She hoped he would say something, but he disappeared from view a moment later.

'Oh great.' Vida thought as she leaned back against the wall. She slowly slid her way down to the floor. 'Way to mess everything up V.'

Her pack registered another death and she heard Chip's enthusiastic cry, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

-

'What was that?' Xander wondered. He was in a daze. Completely baffled by the events moments before. 'She was going to KISS ME!'

He halted in his tracks at that thought.

'I'll never understand that girl.' He thought to himself continuing on his way.

-

**End Chapter 2. Reviews equal motivation so get motivating!**

**Note: Please keep in mind I may need to revise some parts once new episodes come out.**

**Chapter 3 preview: Yay, the Nick angst!**

_Walking into his room, he flopped face down on the bed, letting his thoughts overtake him._

_Superhero. He had to laugh at that. Him? A leader of a super-powered team of evil fighters? If anyone told him a month ago that he would be any kind of leader, let alone a leader of a superhero team, he would have laughed in their face. As he had told Udonna, he wasn't a leader._

_Yet here he was, Red Mystic Ranger._


	3. Never To Be Told

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers… not mine. Original characters… mine._

**Chapter 3: Never To Be Told**

(Takes place between Broken Spell and Code Breakers as well as during Code Breakers)

"I'm back!" Nick called to his sister as he entered the place where he was living, hearing a muted acknowledgement from somewhere in the house.

'For now.' He amended. 'Living for now.'

He didn't want to stock too much hope that this would be any different from the last couple of places he had called home. They had been ripped away from him and he was sent on his way. Now he held out, reluctant to call anything home. He didn't have a home. No home, no friends, and now no family, save for his sister. She was the only one willing to even make the effort, except maybe his grandparents. He hadn't heard from them for a while. They didn't live too far from Briarwood. He could easily go catch up with them someday. At least once this superhero stuff was out of the way.

Walking into his room, he flopped face down on the bed, letting his thoughts overtake him.

Superhero. He had to laugh at that. Him? A leader of a super-powered team of evil fighters? If anyone told him a month ago that he would be any kind of leader, let alone a leader of a superhero team, he would have laughed in their face. As he had told Udonna, he wasn't a leader.

Yet here he was, Red Mystic Ranger. He didn't know why Udonna was so dead set on having him as leader. Vida could do a much better job. Hell even Chip could do better.

Vida. She was someone he could get to like. She was independent, and courageous, but also oddly friendly. Good qualities in a leader. Nick didn't see why she couldn't have headed the team anyway. Was it qualities, or did it all just come down to the color they wore? He guessed pink wasn't exactly considered an intimidating color. Obviously Vida didn't think so either, if her distinct hatred for the color was anything to go by.

Chip. To be honest, Nick found Chip to be kind of annoying. He was always talking and babbling about one thing or another. He just didn't stop. Which kind of explained his element. Lightning, because his mouth spouted shit at the speed of light. To be fair, Chip seemed like a nice enough guy, Nick was just a little less tolerant of all that babble than the others.

Pausing in his thoughts, Nick stood up and wandered over to the computer to check his email. It was kind of a redundant gesture, as no one ever sent him email. He didn't have any friends to send any. He was lucky to even have access to a computer. But when it chimed to him that there was new mail, it made him stop in his tracks. It was from Xander. That guy didn't waste any time. He was informing him of the new work schedule and about the next laser tag game. Writing the details where he would see them, he returned to mentally assessing his new teammates.

Xander. He was very… confident? Confident in is own abilities and personality. As goofy as he might seem, he was not stupid. Xander seemed almost a pacifist, a firm believer that you could talk or reason your way out of any situation. At least that's the impression he gave. Nick found himself kind of intimidated by him. Xander was everything Nick wished he could be.

Madison. He didn't know where to start with Madison. She was just an all-round good person. Kind, gentle and shy, she just radiated innocence. It made everyone to ever know her feel a strong urge to shield and protect her from everything bad in the world.

Clare. Nick didn't know what to make of Clare. She seemed almost crazy, and quite clumsy, at least when it came to magic. In a way she was like Madison, but the same time, she was so very different. Where Madison's eyes showed innocence, Clare's seemed tohold a kind of shield of eccentricity. Maybe she had some bad things in her past she just didn't want to let in again. Kind of like him. She hid behind her apparent lack of skill and coordination whereas he hid behind distance and distrust. But that was all just theory. The only person more of a mystery was…

Udonna. She was a multi-layered enigma. Once you thought you had come to figure her out, a new level of mystery was revealed. And quite franklyshe scared the shit out of him. She seemed sowise and kind, but powerful and fierce when she needed to be. Udonna radiated power; it rolled off her in waves. None of them had a clue exactly what she could do, but he had a feeling that they would never want to find out. He kind of felt guilty about their part in recent events. How they had all been so distrusting and left their wands behind, when they could have helped Udonna. In the end he felt like it was their fault,HIS fault, that Udonna lost her Snow Staff. He was the skeptic. The others may have gone withUdonna from the start if he hadn't been there.

Nick walked back to his bed, and flopped down on his back.

'I guess the only way to find out anything about them, is to ask.' He thought. 'But then would that give them the invitation to ask questions back?'

He really didn't want to answer any kinds of questions his… teammates could throw at him. Especially Vida. She already knew exactly what questions not to ask and while she didn't try to pry last time, he got the feeling that wouldn't stop her from asking the same questions again another time.

He stared at the lone picture on the wall of his room, attempting to focus and calm his thoughts.Seven dark, black birds in the picture just stared back at him. He decided to go find his sister and try to distract himself instead of running him thoughts in circles. Plus the picture was creepy.

-

Madison stood outside the backdoor of her home, taking in the sunlight. Closing her eyes she tipped her head to the sky and took a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she brought her head back down, and took in the sight of a group of birds, sitting on the fence, staring at her. The chime of her morpher broke the silence, sending the birds flapping away in fright.

Pulling out her morpher, she glanced around to be sure she wouldn't be overheard and put it to her ear. "This is Madison."

"Madison," Udonna's voice came from the device. "It is time for training."

-

She wasn't there. That was the first thing he noticed when he entered, slightly behind Xander. No telltale blonde in a sea of darker hair. No perky voice chattering away.

"Where's Clare?" Chip asked before he could stop himself.

"She is out collecting some things for me." Udonna answered casually. Chip glanced around. No one seemed to pay much attention to the question except… Vida was looking at him curiously.

Feigning casualness he moved over to where the rest of the group stood. He didn't want any awkward questions. He wasn't sure he had an answer for himself, let alone for anyone else.

He sighed inwardly as Vida nudged him, 'I knew it was too much to hope for.'

"What's up Chip?" She managed to make the question sound casual, but he knew what she wanted to know. He simply offered a shrug in return as Udonna approached carrying 5 brooms.

"These are your Mystic Racers." Udonna informed them, handing a broom to each of them.

"Sweet." Chip cheered, with the enthusiasm that was typically expected of him.

"Brooms?" Nick's enquired. "We're going to be riding brooms?"

'Ever the voice of skepticism.' Chip thought to himself.

"Yes." Udonna replied simply.

"Uh, isn't that a little, I don't know, cliché?"

Udonna smiled. "Not at all. You will see."

She waved her hand, gesturing to the walls around them. At several places, a section of the wall began to rotate, revealing color-coded alcoves.

"Now please morph." She requested.

Placing their brooms down for the moment, all five morphed into ranger form.

"Now, take your brooms," Udonna gestured to their discarded brooms, "and step into an alcove. You will know what to do."

Udonna smiled cryptically as they proceeded to follow her instructions.

Moments later they were flying at high speeds above the forest.

"Yeah!" Chip cheered as they soared down into the forest hearing similar sounds sentiments echoes by his friends.

It was then he saw her. Blonde hair like a beacon for him in the shadows of the forest and a look of surprise on her face as they zoomed towards her. Clare was forced to duck as they raced overhead.

He grinned to himself. He may have only been able to see her for a moment but it was worth it.

-

Vida and Chip were nowhere to be seen and Udonna and Clare were working on some kind of potion, as Xander, Nick and Madison sat around the table at Rootcore, reading various books of incantations. Or so they were supposed to be. Xander stared at the books but saw nothing that they contained, too deeply wrapped up in his own inner conflict.

One minute, they were running through the laser tag maze, the next Vida was going to kiss him. Why? He thought she hated him. One second she is insulting him with every bit of breath she had to spare, the next she is lying on top of him and then trying to kiss him. It confused the hell out of him. He hadn't had a decent sleep since it happened, for it was forever running through his head.

Just what did she expect of him anyway? He'd never had a girlfriend before so he had no clue what he expected either. He was only 17 after all, he was in no rush. Why bother with the emotional stress of it all. If he told that to anyone, they'd be shocked into silence, he knew. Everyone thought he was such a charmer, the flirt. The one that he could have any girl he wanted. They didn't understand it didn't work that way. Not for him. He didn't want just any girl. Hell, he didn't know what he wanted; he just knew that he hadn't found it yet.

Madison leaving the table broke Xander's reverie.

'I really need to try and focus.' He thought to himself, shaking his head drawing an inquisitive look from Nick.

"Oh man. Look at all these incantations." He said, attempting to cover his inattention, "How is my brain supposed to fit in all this information?"

It worked, Nick went back to his book, but Madison got a funny look in her eye as she returned with more books.

"Why don't you let me help with that." She said, taking her morpher from the top of the pile of books and flicking it into wand mode. She pointed it at him. "_Cranior Magnus_"

-

Nick couldn't hold back a laugh as the green ranger's head grew from Madison's spell. Nor could she, both laughing openly at the new shape of Xander's head.

"Now you have lots more room," Madison laughed.

"And I thought he had a big head before." Nick chuckled to Madison. But a kind of hurt look from Xander made him flinch inward. It was so quick he almost missed it. In a way he wished he had.

"Madison," Xander said, his face schooled back into a smile of amusement. "If you wouldn't mind."

Madison wordlessly pointed her wand at his head again and his head shrunk back to normal.

'What was that about?' Nick wondered. Udonna was talking to Clare, but he had mostly tuned out all but his own thoughts.

An unexpected feeling of guilt came over him as he considered Xander's reaction. He hadn't meant to insult him. It was just a joke.

'Why do I care?' He asked himself.

He studied Xander as the other teen went back to his book but was obviously still listening in to Udonna and Clare. A sudden realization struck him and all blood drained from his face.

'Oh no.' he groaned internally. 'It's happening all over again.'

-

Madison noticed Nick's suddenly pale appearance.

"Nick?" She had to ask several times before he seemed to hear her. "Are you alright?"

"Uh…" It seemed to take him a moment to process the question. He attempted a smile for her, "Yeah, sure I'm fine."

Madison frowned to herself as Nick went back to his book. He wouldn't meet her eyes as he talked to her. She glanced at Xander to find him looking back, confusion on his face at their friends' sudden change of attitude. One minute he was laughing happily with them, the next he seemed almost depressed and withdrawn.

'Something is definitely up with that boy, and I will find out what it is.' She thought with resolve. 'I just hope it's not what I think it is.'

It was selfish of her she knew, but she couldn't help it. Nick was just… Nick. There was no one like him.

Returning to her books, she tried to eliminate all Nick-related thought from her mind. Which proved easier said than done.

-

'OK, so my plan isn't working so well.' Vida and Chip sat waiting for people to hire them for some "heroic deeds", but as yet not a single person had stopped.

And now Vida was bored.

Leaning back in her chair, she let her mind wander a bit.

Madison was crushing on Nick but she thought he was gay. Well there was an interesting situation. Despite her reassurances, Vida was pretty sure that Madison would wind up disappointed. Xander probably would have a better chance than Madison she thought.

Xander…

'Great,' She mentally scolded herself, 'Way to go Vida. Just when you managed to get him off your mind, you have to bring him back into the picture.'

She didn't know what to do with Xander. She still didn't know what possessed her to try to kiss him, but she wished it much harm for complicating her life up more than recent developments already had. It all came back to that old saying. When it rains it pours.

Well she wished for a drought.

Turning to Chip, she attempted once more to distract herself from her own thoughts.

"So, Chip. Got something you wanna talk about?" She asked with a smirk.

"Uh, I don… don't know what you are talking about." Chip stuttered before going back into his typical hyper attitude while trying to change the subject, "You want a drink, Vida? I'm kind of thirsty and I know there's a store just around the corner. I'm going to go get something to drink. You sure you don't want anything Vida? OK then."

Grabbing his arm as he tried to pass her, Vida forced him back into his seat.

"Sit." She commanded. When he stayed, she studied him for a moment, "So, Clare hey?"

Chip just blinked at her. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your infatuation with our sorceress-in-training." Vida shot him a knowing smirk.

To Vida's surprise, Chip didn't so much as blink. She had to give him credit. When he wanted to be serious, he had a poker face like no one she had ever met.

"What makes you think I'm 'infatuated' with Clare?" He asked neutrally.

"Well it's either her or Udonna." That got a reaction from him. "And somehow I doubt you are in to older women."

Chip just sputtered at her. Vida grinned at him.

"How old is Clare? Maybe I was wrong, maybe you do like them older." She had him speechless and she was going to make the most of it. Not often could Chip be found at a loss for words. "How old is Udonna for that matter? Do they live longer where they're from? For all we know she could be 200 years old."

"She… I…" Still unable to form a sentence, Chip paused to settle his thoughts. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Oh I'm sure you do. I've seen the way you look at Clare." She gave him a soft poke, "Not to mention the first think you asked as soon as you arrived today was 'Where's Clare?'"

Her over-dramatized enactment of him sent Chip into a fit of laughter. The tenseness that neither had noticed was shattered.

"Uh. I… I don't know what to think." He admitted, looking at the ground. "There's just something about her. I mean I barely know her, yet I feel drawn to her. I can't explain it."

Vida decided to finally take mercy on him. "Sometimes, there are just some things you can't explain."

'Oh boy, Chip has it bad.' She thought inwardly.

That one thought unfortunately brought back thoughts of the Xander situation. She needed to talk to him.

And at that, she decided to get back to the job at hand. Finding some heroic deeds to do to unlock more spell codes.

-

They had gotten through their biggest trial yet. They were still charged up on the excitement of the day. Vida and Chip had disappeared again once they had all checked in with Udonna, leaving Madison with Xander and Nick heading to 'The Ozone', a new entertainment complex that was proving to be a hit among the local teenagers. But despite the high energy levels, silence had settled over the trio. Xander and Nick both seemed wrapped up in their own thoughts, but over what Madison didn't know. Everyone thought too much these days, even her. They were meant to be uncontrollable teenagers enjoying their free time to the max. She got the impression it might not be so strange from Nick, but Xander was never so quiet. He was usually so cheerful and goofy.

Once they entered the complex, Madison took full advantage of the guys' distraction to lead them into a small juice bar. She sat down at a small table, Nick following her lead without a protest, but Xander stopped, glancing around as if wondering how they ended up there. Before he had a chance to object, Madison shot him a look that clearly said 'Sit down!' and Xander obliged without a word.

"So…" she said, the silence beginning to feel awkward.

"Hey guys." A cheerful voice jumped in before anybody could say anything else. Teri stood before them in full work outfit with the juice bars logo printed all over.

"Hey Teri," Xander greeted in surprise.

"I didn't know you worked here." Madison's observation coming out more a question.

"Yeah, I needed the money. My parents have been bugging me for a while." Teri replied. She then gave Nick a pointed look. "Hey, I've seen you around school haven't I?"

"Oh!" Madison realized they hadn't been introduced. "Teri, this is Nick Russell. Nick, this is Teri Hamilton."

"Hey," Nick said slightly uncomfortably, offering Teri his hand.

"Madison's been hiding you for herself has she?" She replied flirtatiously giving him a wink.

"Uh…" Nick didn't know how to reply to that as Madison hid her embarrassment.

"So, Tez." Xander jumped in. "You in for the next laser tag game on the weekend?"

"Sure thing, you know me. Can never get enough." She replied with a grin, successfully distracted. "So anyway, can I get you guys anything?"

"Watermelon ice crush for me." Madison supplied.

"Wow that was quick. You didn't even check to see what they had." Xander stated, studying the list. Madison simply pointed to the big board on the wall above the counter. "Oh. I'll go for… choc-banana smoothie."

"Berry crush for me." Nick said, causing Madison to shoot him a look at his choice of drink.

'It's ok Maddy, that doesn't mean anything.' She attempted to reassure herself, but she could feel her chances slowly dropping with every minute she spent with Nick. 'See! Look, you're making youself paranoid.'

"Coming right up!" Teri chimed in perkily.

Awkward silence fell again.

-

Madison sighed, drawing the attention from both guys. Xander's brow furrowed in concern.

"Something wrong Maddy?" Xander enquired.

"Sorry, its just…" she started. "What are you thinking about?"

Xander hesitated for a moment. "OK, can you promise me you won't repeat a word I say to anyone else?"

"Sure, but why the secrecy?" she asked in return.

Xander shot a questioning glance at Nick. Nick seemed surprised to be included. "Uh, I won't say a word."

"I think I have a crush on your sister." Suddenly he wasn't so sure he wanted to talk about it. Summoning up the courage before he could back out, he blurted it out. "And she tried to kiss me!"

"What?" Madison asked in disbelief, unaware of the expression of disappointment that briefly crossed Nick's face. "You said tried, what happened?"

"Well Chip interrupted and I kind of freaked and ran." He continued, shifting uncomfortably. At Madison's stare, his discomfort grew. "I mean, one minute she's insulting me at every opportunity and the next she's trying to kiss me. I just… I didn't know what to think."

"Did you want to kiss her?" Madison asked bluntly.

"I don't know." Xander confessed. "She hates my guts, so I don't know what to think anymore."

Madison had never seen Xander so confused, especially over her sister. She would have to have a chat to Vida and get her side of the equation.

Teri returned with their drinks, and Madison still unaware of Nick's disappointment as he studied the table as if it could provide all answers to his problems.

"How about you Nick? You've been quiet since we left Rootcore. What's on your mind?" Xander attempted to shift the attention from him. Madison turned her focus to Nick.

"Nothing." Nick simply replied, not meeting Xander's eyes. "Nothing at all."

'Another bad sign.' Madison thought to herself. 'Whether it's that he's gay or not, Nick's hiding something.'

-

**End Chapter 3. If I have time after writing the next chapter for the other version before the airing of the next episode, I'll probably follow up with another chapter. For those who are wondering, the slash will come soon, I just want to draw it out a bit. And for those of you who want a non-slash version and haven't checked back recently, you will want to be reading 'A Different Kind of Magic' instead. All the same till the end of chapter 2 and will likely turn out very different from this one.**

**Thanks to all who reviewed so far. I try to reply to all reviews via PM, but I can't with anonymous reviews, so if you wish to hear back from me, log in or register or something.**


	4. Confrontations And Conversations

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers belongs to its rightful owners. I just play with it for my own amusement._

_Note: I've been a bit distracted lately but here is chapter 4. Just a reminder to those unaware, this WILL contain SLASH. If you disapprove and/or prefer a non-slash version, check out 'A Different Kind Of Magic', which is an alternate universe of this fic, I suppose, where the pairings will not be slash. Starts the same but changes at the end of chapter 2._

_Note x2: I just noticed that chapter 2 in this fic somehow ended up with chapter 2 from ADKOM which I just corrected, so if you read the other version you may want to go back and look it over again_.

**Chapter 4: Confrontations And Conversations**

_(Takes place between Code Breakers and Rock Solid, and during Rock Solid.)_

Having just finished a shift, Vida hurried out of the Rockporium, pulling on a jacket in an attempt to hide the bright uniform shirt that she despised greatly. One of these days, she would get Toby to change the color to something better, like black.

"Vida!" Xander's voice called from behind. She stopped and turned around as Xander jogged up to her. "Vida wait. I need to talk to you."

Vida studied Xander's nervous expression for a moment before making a decision. "I was going to head by the Hamilton's café."

Xander looked relieved at the invitation. "Sure."

The short walk to the café was made in silence. Ten minutes later found them sitting in a booth along the back wall. The café was owned and run by the family of their casual friends Teri and Alec Hamilton, so they found themselves here often after school or work.

"So…" Vida shifted awkwardly in her seat as Xander at anything but her. "Yeah…"

"What was that, the other night, what was that?" Xander had suddenly turned all focus onto her.

"I… I tried… I was going to kiss you." She stuttered with small shrug. What was wrong with her? She didn't stutter. She was the tactless one who said what she thought. "It kinda surprised me when you ran away."

"You caught me off guard." Xander admitted. He shook his head with a small embarrassed smile. "Truth is I've never… been in a situation like that before."

Vida's tried to hide her surprise but failed as her blunt honesty once again took hold. "You? Xander 'The Charmer' Bly has never kissed a girl? They throw themselves at you and you never once thought to take advantage of that? What are you gay?"

Taken by surprise at Vida's outburst, Xander started laughing. The nervous tension dissipated by Xander's laugh Vida couldn't help but laugh with him, drawing some odd looks from other customers.

"You aren't the typical kind of guy either are you?" She asked after they had calmed down.

"Either?" Xander looked puzzled.

"Oh, its just Maddy's been freaking over Nick. Long story." Vida explained rolling her eyes.

"Yeah I guess I'm not. I'm not just after anyone who throws themselves at me. I want… I guess I don't really know what I want, but I think when I find it, I'll know." Xander was staring off into the distance but drew his focus back to Vida at her silence. His face reddened "It sounds kind of cheesy, hey?"

"You are not what I thought you were." Vida confessed with a small smile. "But that's a good thing."

They shared a silent look of understanding before Vida spoke up again.

"OK, how's this? We start from the start, and let whatever happens happen." She suggested.

"Sounds good to me." Xander smiled at her and she couldn't help but return it.

-

Nick crouched by his bike, in the backyard of his sister's house, tweaking and playing with it once again. The sun shone brightly and he was making the most of it. Nearby, Madison was hovering with her camera once more, giving her own commentary as she filmed him. It was like that camera was attached to her face, she was always using it. If anyone ever got their hands on the stuff she filmed, the things they could learn from there could put them all in a bind or in mortal danger. She had even gone as far as to record them all morphing and that worried Nick. The potential trouble that could bring worried him. Nick didn't like it at all.

"Don't make me squirt you." He threatened, pointing an oilcan at her and threatening to spray it, as Madison returned focus to him.

"Oh come on Nick. Tell us about your world of manliness and motorcycles." She teased.

He picked up a grease-covered rag and threw it at the lens of the camera with a laugh. Madison giggled and dodged away. She stuck her tongue out at him, feeling like being childish.

Nick's eyes widened and he smirked at her, "So mature Maddy."

She simply repeated the gesture, drawing a laugh from him as he threw the rag at her again.

"So anyway." Nick began slowly. "What's going with Vida and Xander? One minute they're fighting like an old married couple and the next they aren't speaking at all."

"I don't know. I tried to ask Vida but she wouldn't say anything." Madison replied, giving him a small shrug.

"You think he has a thing for her and she doesn't return it?" Nick asked, going back to his tinkering but glancing sideways at Madison as she settled on the ground nearby.

"I'd say it's more like they other way around. If a guy had a thing for Vida and she didn't like him, she'd be letting every person she'd ever met and not met know. Kind of trying to make one of her big statements or whatever."

Nick's face fell. "So you think Xander has a crush on her?"

Madison noticed his expression and frowned, "Nick, is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Fine why wouldn't it be?" He replied, his focus solely on his bike. Not even risking a glance in her direction.

"You seem disappointed at the idea that Xander might like Vida." She was getting nosey again. "Do you have a crush on my sister?"

Nick almost dropped the spanner he was holding, almost laughing in relief. He tried to make his voice sound neutral. "What makes you think that?"

"Well as I said before, you're looking all depressed at the idea of Vida and Xander liking each other."

"Vida can like whoever she wants." Nick replied with a shrug. Silently he added 'But not Xander.'

He didn't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way, the green ranger had somehow drawn his interest. He'd thought he was over it all, and it was a phase, but along comes Xander and throws a spanner into the works. He had found a good thing here in Briarwood and he didn't want to leave it all again. He was sick and tired of running.

Isn't about time you owned up to who you really are? Udonna's voice echoed in his head, as it often had lately, that same line, over and over. He knew now what she really meant, but there was no way he was willing to risk it when he had found a place to belong here.

-

'It's so obvious. How did I not see it before?' Madison asked herself.

Nick was crushing badly… on Vida! That would explain why he was asking so many questions about her. She felt so foolish in thinking he was gay. Maybe now, that meant she had a chance with him.

-

Clare looked up from her studies as Chip wandered into Rootcore. She thought it kind of odd since Udonna hadn't scheduled any practice for this morning.

"Hello." She said in way of greeting but sounded more like a question.

"Uh… Hi Clare." Chip looked surprised to see her sitting at the table. "I didn't see you there."

"Udonna says I should read more before I try practicing anymore spells. So here I am. Reading." Clare didn't know why she felt a need to explain herself, but she did anyway. "So what are you doing here this morning? I didn't think Udonna had any practice for you guys."

"Oh. I thought… I might… get some more reading in before I have to work." He stuttered, his face beginning to turn as red as his hair. "Udonna said the more study we have the better. We're still beginners and all."

"Well in that case, you can study with me." Clare shot Chip a bright smile, which caused him to turn even redder. Clare remained oblivious to his embarrassment.

"Sweet." He said, still standing on the one spot. He fidgeted in discomfort. "Uh, I'm just gonna get some books."

"OK." She replied, still smiling, before going back to her reading.

Chip walked over to grab some books off a nearby table, silently berating himself for his awkwardness.

Clare looked up as Chip took a seat at the table, near enough that they could share books and hold a conversation without hindrance, but far enough away it made Clare frown in confusion.

"What are you doing all the way over there?" She asked. She patted the seat next to her. "Come here. I'm not going to bite. Unless I accidentally turn myself into a dog."

"It doesn't happen that often does it?" Chip asked with a frown, but his face still burning. "I mean you do get some spells to work properly, right?"

"Well not as often as it goes wrong." She sighed in self-depreciation. "I wish I could be like you guys. You all took to the magic like a fish to water. It takes me forever to get one spell right."

"I think you give us too much credit." Chip attempted to reassure her. "We have the Power on our side. I think if we weren't rangers, we wouldn't be nearly as good as you are."

"Thanks Chip." She smiled at the red head.

"Hey, no problem. But can you do me one favor?" He leaned forward conspiratorially. "Don't tell the others I can be serious. I would lose all advantage I have for jokes."

Clare giggled softly at his words. She made a show of considering his words before giving him a sneaky smile, "What do I get in return for my silence?"

Chip let out an over-dramatized gasp, "Are you blackmailing me? You evil, evil person!"

Clare giggled more at his antics; Chip joined her, enjoying the sound of her laugh.

"Tell you what. If you study with me so we can help each other learn spells, I'll keep your secret." Clare suggested.

"Well I don't know how much help I will be but…" He drew out the last word before clearing his throat, trying to appear serious and putting on an attempt at a deep voice. "You have yourself a deal."

They shared a smile before continuing studying and conversing comfortably about nothing in particular.

From the shadows, Udonna smiled at the new friendship being formed before her. Clare needed a friend like Chip. It had been much too lonely for someone so young before the rangers came. She also thought that Chip would often feel misunderstood by his friends, no matter how hard they might try to be there for him. Chip and Clare had more in common than they know. She had a feeling that this new bond would be beneficial for the both of them.

-

Vida looked up as Chip dashed through the door, pulling on his purple work shirt.

"And just where have you been?" Madison questioned him, camera in hand as she moved towards the late arrival.

"I was studying with Clare." Chip in a casual tone that Vida saw right through.

Catching Chip's eye, Vida sent him a knowing smirk, which in turn caused Chip to redden considerably.

Madison catching the exchange lowered the camera and halted the recording, before moving towards her sister standing at her favorite spot, doing her DJ thing as usual.

"OK sis, time to spill. You know something we don't know?" she quizzed her sister.

Vida grinned, before schooling her expression into a neutral expression. "Yes, and that's how it's going to stay."

"Oh come on, you can't just say that and not give any details whatsoever." Madison complained.

"Sure I can." Vida smirked. She loved knowing things other people didn't know. It gave her much more leverage if she ever needed it. Of course she wouldn't do that to her sister, just people she didn't like.

Vida continued to watch her sister as Nick walking past headed for the side room momentarily distracted Madison. Madison's gaze followed his progress before she was knocked off balance by Leelee. Vida rolled her eyes at the blonde girl's obvious jealousness. That was the kind of people she saved details for use against.

Leelee's badly hidden jealousy of Madison's friendship with Nick was almost laughable. At least it would be to Vida if it weren't being taken out on her sister. She was always hanging around, and always happened to be looking wherever Nick happened to be working at the time. She wondered if Leelee's fixation with Nick was just because of Madison's interest or if she really actually wanted anything to do with him. She had a feeling Leelee might have figured it all out by now, and if not, then both girls were likely in for a big disappointment. It had taken a while, but after much time spent watching Nick, Vida had pretty much determined he was off the market, at least for the female population of Briarwood.

With a sigh, Vida took off her headphones and put them aside before moving towards the room where Nick was currently hiding. It was time she had a talk with their fearless leader, before Madison ended up hurt more than she was already going to be once the truth came out.

-

Nick looked up as Vida entered the room. He covered his surprise by going back to what he was doing. He had been expecting Madison, or even Leelee, despite the fact she wasn't allowed in the room. As Vida stood just in the doorway, allowing it to close, he glanced up again, and the serious look on her face told him something was up.

"Vida." Nick forced out a cheerful greeting, "What can I do for you."

"Tell my sister the truth before you hurt her." Vida replied, bypassing all pretense.

"Wh… What do you mean?" Nick stuttered, caught slightly off guard, and not by her forwardness but by her apparent topic of choice.

"Don't bullshit me Nick, I know." Vida strode across the room and stood on the opposite side of the desk.

Nick sat looking at her, doing an impression of a fish. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I said don't bullshit me. I'm not stupid. If you hurt my sister, I hurt you." She was leaning forward now, emphasizing her words with a poke to the chest with each one. "Clear?"

"I told you, I don't know what you are talking about." Nick moved away slightly, retreating out of range of Vida's poking.

"Were you born stupid or is it from practice. I told you to cut the crap. You are gay, and my sister is head over heels for you." It took much restraint to keep her voice low enough to prevent people outside from hearing.

Nick moved away even further at her outburst. 'Oh shit, how did she know?'

Out loud he denied her observation, which sounded more like an accusation to him. "I'm not g… gay."

"You're terrified." Vida's eyes widened in sudden comprehension, "What happened to you that has you so afraid to be who you really are?"

Isn't about time you owned up to who you really are? the words echoed in his head again.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Nick stood up straight and put on an uncaring front.

Vida saw what he was doing, so she crossed the room and pinned him to the wall with an arm across his chest. "Now look here. I don't give a fuck about your sexuality. All I care about is my sister, and the fact that leading her on like this is cruel and will ultimately hurt her and if you let that happen, I will cause you much pain. I would prefer not to, because I surprisingly like you, and so does Maddy and everyone else, but if you take it there, Koragg and Necrolai will be the least of your worries."

Giving him one last shove, Vida dropped her arm and strode out the door, leaving Nick standing in her wake, rubbing the place she shoved him with her arm.

Pulling himself together, he tried to stop shaking enough to get back to work.

'Oh god, she knew, but how? Is she going to tell the others? Are they going to run me out of town now?' he was a nervous wreck now. Sure Vida said she didn't care if he was gay or not, but now his secret was out and he was worried. Scared even. He didn't want to have to leave again.

-

Nick watched as Madison wandered out of the Rockporium with that guy, Ben. After Vida's threats earlier today, he felt kind of relieved that Madison had found someone else that she might actually be able to like without being hurt. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted, but if she stayed interested in him, it was all that was likely to happen. He also hoped that this new interest of Maddy's would distract her sister enough to prevent her from spilling the beans on him. He was beginning to believe Vida wasn't the type to betray someone like that, especially given the strong loyalty she demonstrated in regards to her sister. He was willing to bet that would also extend to her friends too, if they gave her reason to believe that loyalty would not be misplaced.

Glancing around the store, she spotted Vida talking with… Xander. As much as he fought it, and as much as he tried to deny it, there was something about Xander that called to him. Nick wasn't a sappy romantic person, but watching Xander smile made his heart skip a beat. He was beginning to sound like some cheesy novel, but he couldn't help it, Xander was just… perfect. He used to think that Xander was everything he wanted to be, but the truth was Xander was everything he wanted. He turned away as Xander laughed at something Vida said, a spike of jealousy and longing hit him. How he wished that it could be him, and not Vida, earning that bright smile, or drawing that heartfelt laugh from the dark-haired guy.

But it was time to face the facts; he didn't stand a chance with Xander, and he never would.

-

Xander walked with Vida through the park, headed towards the cinema. They were off to catch a movie together, but as a date, or just two friends hanging out, he wasn't sure. Vida was pretty quiet, and after the events of the day, he wasn't surprised. It had been a big scare for her, finding Maddy turned to stone; the prospects of losing her sister must have really hit hard for Vida.

"You OK V?" Xander decided to break the silence in hopes that he might be able to help her in some way.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just been a really weird day." Vida said with a sigh.

She was trying to play the amazon again, strong and brave, unwilling to admit that she had been scared. He looked at Vida, before gently voicing his thoughts "You mean crazy and ultimately terrifying don't you?"

She glanced up at him in surprise, before relaxing under his caring gaze, "Yeah. Just we came close to losing Maddy, _I_ came close to losing my sister, and it makes it all seem so… so…"

"Real?" he supplied.

"Exactly." Vida moved slightly towards Xander as they walked, their arms now brushing against each other. "I went into this whole magic and ranger deal with this romanticized view of playing the hero and saving the day that I never really considered what could happen. Someone could get hurt. Someone could die even, and today when Madison was turned to stone, it was like reality came crashing down on me."

Xander stopped walking and pulled Vida towards him, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. She struggled a little at first, not willing to show any more weakness, before finally giving in and accepting the comforting gesture.

"You try to be so strong all the time. Accepting a little comfort in times of stress does not make you weak." He mumbled into her hair, as they stood still wrapped up in the embrace.

Vida pulled away slightly, just enough to look Xander in the eye. Their gazes met, and he just looked into her eyes, her emotions playing in them unchecked for once. As one they moved forward, meeting in the middle as they shared a gentle, comforting kiss. Pulling away moments later, they both wordlessly resumed walking, one arm still wrapped around each other.

"I should apologize to Nick. I was kind of hard on him today," Vida confessed, breaking the short silence.

"You were right though." Xander said, giving Vida a squeeze with the arm still around her.

"No, not about that." She replied, causing Xander to send a curious glance towards her, "It was about something else. I can't really say much. It was just… Maddy really likes him, I just don't want to see him hurt her."

"Which is understandable and I wouldn't expect any less." Xander reassured her. "But I don't think Nick would have it in him to hurt Maddy."

"Not on purpose…" Vida trailed off, letting her words hang.

Xander shot Vida another curious look, but she was looking straight ahead, not meeting his eyes.

-

**End chapter 4**

**Damn, this one took a while. I've been writing it since before Rock Solid even showed, then I had to adapt to incorporate the episode since I needed the inspiration, which I received. So here you are.**

**So we have a taste of Xander/Vida, but how long will it last? How will Nick win Xander's heart? Something I have to figure out lol. Cheers to all who reviewed, I try to take all suggestions into consideration, so I hope you liked this chapter. Next one will probably come after the new episode screens.**


	5. The Secrets We Keep

_Disclaimer: I've said it several times already, if you haven't got the point, what can I do? Read the disclaimer from chapters 1-4 again, maybe you will see._

_Note: Another reminder that THIS IS THE SLASH VERSION! _

_I'm thinking maybe I might just write the chapters one week behind the episodes since I seem to be anyway, it will also cut back on spoilers for some people if they have to record and watch it after the actual airdate. This chapter is kind of baffling me. There aren't many during-episode scenes that I could write so I think I shall just jump to straight after the episode. I thought the name for this chapter is oddly appropriate given its content and the way 'Whispering Voices' ended._

**Chapter 5: The Secrets We Keep**

(Set immediately after Whispering Voices)

'What have we done?' Madison thought for the twentieth time in an hour. Sure Nick had forgiven them for jumping to conclusions, but the damage had been done. He probably thought they didn't trust him now.

Madison was sitting behind the counter at the Rockporium, wrapped up in her thoughts. It had been reasonably quiet today, with the exception of Leelee floating around as usual. She didn't typically serve customers, Xander was so much better at that, but for now she agreed to do it to give Vida and Xander some time together, even if they were supposed to be working. Nick had disappeared somewhere around the store, quiet ever since they had attempted to apologise.

'I trust him though.' She didn't know whom she was trying to convince since only she could hear it anyway. 'Well I thought I did.'

Madison shook her head to clear the doubts, earning a strange look from Leelee, but she didn't care. She needed to talk to Nick and apologise properly, but after the current events she wasn't going to leave the counter unattended, especially when Leelee was lurking so suspiciously.

"Chip." She called out to the redhead who appeared to be attempting to have a swordfight against a CD rack using a plunger. Chip glanced over at her. "Can you mind the counter for a while. I… I've got something I want to take care of."

"Fear not, I shall protect it with my life." Chip hollered as he dramatically strode over.

"Just… don't lose any money." She told him, glancing sideways at Leelee, who having heard her and saw her glance, gave her a haughty look before turning on her heel and strolling deeper into the store.

Madison rolled her eyes as she made her way around the counter and began her search for Nick. He wouldn't be in Toby's office since Toby himself was in today, and she couldn't see him anywhere in area, so that left outside tinkering with his bike, or out back in the stock room.

'Stock room first' she thought as she strode towards the door leading to the moderate sized room where they stored their stock.

She found Nick browsing the shelves of stock, apparently taking inventory. He glanced at her as she entered, but continued working in silence. Madison allowed the door to close behind her but stood watching Nick for a moment, unsure where she should start, of if she should start at all.

"Hey." She said timidly.

"Hi." he replied. She flinched at the hard tone in his voice but wasn't going to back down.

"What's up?" She asked nervously, putting her hands in her pocket and hunching her shoulders up.

"Don't do that." Nick warned.

"Do what?" She asked confused.

"That 'scared and shy' look you do like you are trying to make people feel sorry for you." He avoided looking at her as he spoke.

"I wasn't…" She began but he cut her off.

"Don't." He repeated firmly. "Did you want something?"

"I thought you had forgiven us." She said before she could think and regretted it as soon as she was done.

"Forgiving is one thing, but I can't forget it that easily." He answered, giving her a cool stare.

Madison took the time to process his words, contemplating what to say next, but Nick continued talking.

"I'm not angry any more. I'm really not." He said, putting down the clipboard he had been holding for taking inventory. "If anything I'm hurt. It hurts that even after all your claims of friendship and after all we've been through, I was still the first person you accuse when something went wrong. I may not be the expert on friendship and trust, but I was under the impression that trust and friendship went together, after all, how can someone be your friend if you don't trust in them."

Nick was now pacing the room, Madison could only stand and stare at the floor through his tirade.

"I thought…. Even after everything we've all been through together, the whole Ranger thing… I thought you had more faith in me." Nick shook his head as he finished before picking up his clipboard and turning back to the shelves.

Madison feeling tears of guilt pricking the corner of her eyes, turned and fled, not stopping until she was in the park area across the street.

'What have we done?' She slumped against a tree and sunk to the ground. 'What have **I** done?'

She knew now that every chance she had with Nick was now gone.

-

Xander stood with Vida, watching as Madison fled the store. He exchanged glances with Chip behind the counter; silently communicating that he should stay there for now. Chip seemed to get the message but a second later began frantically pointing towards the stock room. Glancing in the direction Chip indicated, Xander noticed a furious Vida headed straight for the door. 'Oh shit.'

"Vida!" He called hoping to get her to stop, but she kept walking. He chased her urgently, grabbing her arm to stop her. It seemed to be becoming a very familiar situation. "V. V stop!"

"No Xander." She shook of his arm.

"Vida. Don't do anything stupid." He took hold of her arm again, spinning her to face him. "You go find Maddy, I'll talk to Nick."

She looked ready to protest, but he looked at her pleadingly and she seemed to give in. "Fine."

Without another word, Vida pivoted and marched towards the exit just as Toby stuck his head out of his office after hearing all the noise. He was quickly intercepted by Chip, leaving Xander free to confront Nick.

Without slowing his pace, he pushed through the door, only to be brought up short by a cry of pain. Spotting Nick lying on the floor, all thoughts of Vida and Madison fled.

"Shit! Sorry mate." Xander apologised as he crouched by Nick who lay clutching his face.

"t's fne." Nick mumbled as he pushed Xander aside. Standing up, he removed his hand from covering his face allowing Xander a glimpse of the blood dripping from his nose.

"Damn." Xander scrambled to grab something for Nick to use to stop the blood and clean himself up. Unable to find anything, Xander took off his work shirt. "I'm really sorry mate. I didn't see you."

Nick simply glared at him, while he attempted to prevent Xander from pressing his shirt to his nose. He gave up after a minute of Xander's persistent attempts and just let the other teen do what he wanted.

Within minutes, the bleeding had stopped and Xander was wiping the dried blood from Nick's face. He was so caught up in what he was doing he almost missed the strange, undefinable look Nick was giving him.

"There." He said, clearing his throat before standing back up and looking around for something to do with his now blood-soaked shirt. Internally he was panicking 'Oh god, what was that about?'

-

Nick remained seated on the floor, as he watched Xander occupy himself.

"Just what did you come rushing in here so fast that you tried to kill me with the door anyway?" Nick finally asked.

"I wasn't trying to kill you, I was trying to save you from 'Cyclone Vida'" Xander replied, still not looking at him.

Xander wasn't the only one confused by his own behaviour. Nick couldn't stop thinking about it. What was Xander doing anyway, cleaning him up like that? It was almost caring. While Nick had been hoping that one day something like that might be possible, it baffled him to have it happen right then and now.

"Why did I need saving… wait… Madison, right?" Nick asked shoving his internal conflict aside for now.

"Just what did you say to her?" Xander was looking at him now, slightly pissed off.

"I told her the truth. I am capable of doing that you know." Nick spat back.

Xander had the decency to look guilty at Nick's words. "Yeah about that, did we mention we were sorry?"

"Sometimes sorry just isn't enough Xander." Nick replied picking up everything he had dropped when he was knocked over.

"Well what is enough?" Xander demanded.

"Well trust for one. How can I trust you if you don't trust me?" Nick retaliated. "I expected better from you guys, especially you. I mean, you just came belting in here top speed all worried about Madison, did you even stop to think that maybe its not all about you guys. You, Vida and Madison, and Chip to a certain degree, but you guys were the ones who hurt me remember. Do you get it? You all just say you're sorry and expect me to forget it instantly, but I can't forget it. I haven't had many friends in my life, once everyone figures out… and I thought I had something good going here and you all just throw it back in my face with no reason whatsoever. Look, just leave me alone. I need some time and space to myself."

'You almost blew it there, Nick.' He scolded himself. 'Just throw out your secrets at people who are ready to think the worst of you.'

"Nick…" Xander started towards him but Nick took a step back.

"Just go." Nick kept his gaze on the floor. After a moments silence he felt a gentle touch on his arm, looking up, Xander was standing before him, just looking at him.

"Nick. I really am truly sorry." Xander spoke slowly, his words full of honesty; Nick found it hard to stay angry.

What had he told Madison before? He wasn't angry? Well that was true. Mostly. He wasn't angry with her, or Vida, or Chip. But Xander… He didn't know why he expected more from Xander, its not like he had been given any reason to have to.

"Even if you don't believe a single word I say ever again, believe that."

They stood staring at each other for what seemed like hours, and for a brief second, Nick thought Xander would kiss him, but Xander turned and walked out the door. Nick sighed with relief.

Being around Xander was beginning to seriously mess with his head.

He didn't know what to think about him anymore. Xander had developed a tendency to jump to his defence on the battlefield but when it came to something as unimportant as a little money, he turned on him. The whole 'moment' they just had didn't help it in any way either.

'If only you knew, Xander.' Nick thought to himself, still just staring at the door Xander had walk out. 'So much for no more secrets.'

-

'Oh god. I almost kissed Nick.' The thought caught Xander by surprise and he fell against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor. 'Why? Why did I almost kiss Nick? Where the hell did that come from? How do I keep getting myself in these situations?'

One second he had been profusely apologising to Nick, the next he was just staring. They were both staring. The moment had thrown him through a loop.

'Was it because I felt sorry for him?' Xander asked himself. 'Yeah that must be it. There's nothing more to it.'

He tried to ignore the irritating little thought at the back of his mind that was telling him that guys don't kiss guys when they feel sorry for them.

'Vida!' He stood up quickly. 'Must find Vida.'

He made it about two feet towards the exit before it hit him again. "Oh god. I almost kissed Nick."

He didn't even realise he had said it out loud, even if only a whisper, until he received one of the oddest looks from both Leelee and Toby nearby. Ignoring them, he kept on walking towards the exit in search of his… what was she now anyway? His girlfriend? Linking the word girlfriend to Vida just didn't feel right somehow, which probably explained his reasons for not labelling their relationship earlier, he reasoned.

I expected better from you guys, especially you. What had Nick meant by that anyway?

-

Vida found her sister not far from the store. Madison was sitting under a tree, hugging her legs, just staring at nothing in particular.

"Want me to hurt him for you?" Vida asked as she sat down beside Madison.

Madison shot her a glare weakened by a small amount of amusement, before looking to the ground. "We screwed up this time. We hurt him pretty badly."

"Sure, we were wrong, but there is nothing we can do about that now." Vida shrugged. "He's going to have to get over it sooner or later, I mean, being rangers none of us has the luxury of holding a grudge on one another for long."

"Unless he quits." Madison spoke so softly Vida almost missed it.

"Always a possibility." Vida replied, receiving an alarmed look from her sister. "I don't think he will. He doesn't seem like the type to quit at the first sign of trouble to me."

Madison seemed to consider that for a while. "He's running from something already. I wish I knew what it was, but it seems every time I seem to get close to getting him to open up, he starts pushing me away."

"He's been keeping us all at arms length, its not just you." Vida needed to consider her words carefully; she didn't want to say anything based on her observations and deductions that could end up hurting Madison… or even Nick for that matter. If he was going to trust them again, they needed to earn it back. Spilling all his secrets, at least as far as she had pieced together, was not the way to do that. "I think… he's been hurt in the past by people he trusted. Friends maybe."

"His family." Madison corrected. Vida shot her sister a curious look. "He hasn't told me anything, it's just what I gathered. He's been moved around a lot, living with different relatives. His parents are overseas. I think something must have happened."

Vida had a good idea what that might be but she wasn't going to say anything. It wasn't her place.

"Hey!" Xander was striding across the park to join them. His face was oddly pink.

"So what happened, did you beat him up? Wrestle around the room? Poke holes in each other's egos? Compare sizes? Come on Xander, you must have given him one for Maddy." Vida ranted, rising to meet her… boyfriend? It was as good a word as any.

"Err… right… everything's good." Xander replied evasively. Vida raised an eyebrow at him.

"Want to go get some mochas or something?" Madison spoke up from her position on the ground, glancing at her watch. "We're done with work now anyway."

"Sure, what about Chip and… umm, what about Chip?" Xander asked.

"Chip has to close tonight, so… lets go." Vida grabbed one of both Madison and Xander's hands and began to drag them off. She felt her sister give her hand one squeeze before letting go. Vida shot her sister a grateful smile before continuing to walk, her hand still linked with Xander's, failing to notice his distant expression.

-

Chip spotted Nick walking slowly out of the storeroom.

"Hey Nick, I thought you'd gone already. Everyone else took off half an hour ago. Didn't even bother to tell us they were going to either, so I got stuck here closing while Toby had to be somewhere." Chip babbled on before Nick could return his greeting.

"Wow Chip, not even a 'Halt! Who goes there?' You're losing your touch." Nick said, hoping to guide the conversation to something more amusing.

"Moment of weakness. It won't happen again." Chip replied solemnly. A second later he was bouncing again. "I was going to head to Rootcore for a little extra study before it gets dark. Want to come with? The forest at night, it'll be like an adventure!"

"Nah, I think I just… need some time to myself right now." Nick explained, averting his eyes to avoid the inquisitive glance.

"If you say so." Chip replied giving him a doubtful look. "Seems to me you want some company if the fact that you haven't rushed out of the store yet is any indication."

"Nah, its just… You're the only person that hasn't kept trying to apologise." Nick shrugged.

"Well you say you've forgiven us, I believe you." Chip said. He wasn't trying to make a point exactly; he was just trying to be the friend they should have been from the start.

"Thanks Chip." Nick gave him a genuine smile before turning towards the door. He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder. "Need a hand closing?"

"You would be my hero." Chip sagged in relief, drawing a laugh from Nick.

"Well then, the sooner we get to work, the sooner you can see your blonde." Nick smirked wandering back towards the Chip, laughing as the redhead's face gave his hair a run for its money.

-

**End Chapter 5**

_Even though I could have written a bit more, I felt that any longer and I would be drawing this out longer than it had to be. Besides, I am falling further behind and I have some good ideas for the next chapter, which would be before, during or after 'Legendary Catastros' or maybe all of them. I have a feeling the first real slashy moment will happen soon… it's starting to feel right. I also need to figure out ways to set Madison and Vida up with some people just coz they seem so lonely, especially Maddy without her Nick._

_Thanks to Patrick in a Heartbeat, insanechildfanfic and RavynOwl for reviewing the last chapter. Also after reading your latest chapters of your fic Patrick, we might shortly see them all at school in mine lol. I forgot that they were still in school lol._


	6. Too Much, Too Soon

_Disclaimer: I've said it several times already, if you haven't got the point, what can I do? Read the disclaimer from chapters 1-4 again, maybe you will see._

_Note: Another reminder that THIS IS THE SLASH VERSION! _

I am so so so so so so so sorry it took so long to get back to this but my life has had a lot of major changes in the last year (almost) since I updated. This will no doubt have a reasonable impact on the way I write and I found myself reading over what I had written for future chapters and said, err no, lets start over. While not starting over from the start, anything beyond chapter 6 is now freshly created from my recent influences and experiences, so I hope you can adapt to and enjoy whatever may come.

_For one, while I had a loosely based structure of 3rd person perspective based around random selected characters without warning, I shall now attempt to limit each chapter to that of one or two characters to centre on each chapter._

_Secondly, chapters shall no longer be so dependant on the storyline. While it will remain a constant background influence, I intend to focus more on the interpersonal relationships based more on my perceptions of how they should be rather than what they are on the series, because seriously, we waited the whole season for even a real, genuine nudge for the Madison/Nick shippers. I promise I will not do that to you. I also promise that I will not wait a whole year to put up another chapter of this story… again… OK now on with the story._

**Chapter 6: Too Much, Too Soon**

(Set during Legendary Catastros.)

_-Madison-_

To Maddy, things were getting stressful. They were getting even harder in every single aspect. Rangering was getting more and more perilous with every new adversary they found themselves up against, Toby was becoming less and less tolerant of the consistent disappearing acts, and Nick was keeping all of them at arms length. Not just Nick-arms length, but Titan Nick-arms length. All except Chip. Somehow the redhead had managed to avoid Nick's distrust and disappointment.

Truth was, Madison was finding herself quite jealous of her long term, hyperactive friend. Why did Chip get so easily forgiven for doing nothing to make up for it all, while the rest of them were working their asses off to regain his trust? Even Vida. Everyone knew the older Rocca sister was not exactly known for a perky and cooperative nature, but Madison knew Vida understood the necessity for them be able to trust each other in battle. She also knew that her sister had a bit of a soft spot for Nick and his ability hold his own in verbal battles against her cool and sarcastic words. Yet Chip had still gotten the 'get out of deep shit free' card. The easygoing friendship that seemed to have developed between Nick and Chip was a mystery. She never imagined that they would get along as well as they had, between Chip's overactive imagination and hyperactive energy, and Nick's cool and serious but laid back attitude, she just didn't think they would mesh very well. Apparently she was wrong.

And then there were the moments when Nick thought she wasn't looking where he would stare off elsewhere with a look of utter hurt on his face that had her heart breaking every time. Eventually she figured out what he was looking at, or rather who. It seemed to be that every time he looked at Xander, the hurt expression was would appear, and Maddy had to wonder just what Xander had said or done that had Nick so shattered.

Lifting the video camera in her hands, she opened the small screen on the left and activated the playback feature.

A shot of Vida dancing and scratching away to the music, eyes closed completely absorbed in it all.

Panning around found Toby lecturing Chip about the proper method of stacking CD's after Chip had attempted to make a fort with some of the new releases. And failed.

Next came across Xander and his skateboard. Xander wasn't moving at all. He held his skateboard standing on its end in his lap with the underside facing towards him, where he just stared. Whether at the board, or just staring into space, he was completely out of it.

Madison held back a sigh as the next shot was of Nick, stacking the discounts table. After a few seconds he looked over and 'the expression' crossed his face that had Maddy feeling like she was right there with him all over again.

She must have watched that same section of video over and over so many times, the look on Nick's face was clear as day against the back of her eyelids every time she closed her eyes.

'This is getting out of control Maddy' she told herself. 'Get yourself together before you go all stalker.'

Switching the camera from playback to capture, she exited the storeroom of the Rockporium, where she had retreated for some quiet time. She wandered slowly toward the front counter, randomly recording the activity in store as she walked, or at least that's what she tried to tell herself she was doing. In truth she was searching for Nick, who seemed to be absent. Stopping at the end of the counter, furthest from the door, but still close enough that she could see anyone coming, she pretended to be working. With her focus on the door, she has a feeling she wasn't overly convincing.

"Why do you even bother?" asked Vida with a smirk. Her sister could be really aggravating sometimes. "Everyone is totally aware of what you are doing."

"I'm not doing anything," replied Madison, trying to sound confused.

"Sure you aren't." said Vida, rolling her eyes at her sister. "Don't worry. He'll be here."

"Who?" Madison asked continuing with the confused act, but sounding totally unconvincing.

"Dear sweet Nicky." Vida replied, followed by kissing sounds.

"Whatever." Madison rolled her eyes, her cheeks turning pink as she wandered towards the door.

She stopped in her tracks. There he was! Walking straight at her, but looking at the ground. With a gasp, she dropped the camera on a shelf by the door, while dashing back to the opposite end of the counter and tried to look occupied. Glancing out of the corner of her eyes, she watched Nick as he approached the door. She could see bags under his eyes, even from where she stood.

'He looks so tired,' though Madison. She couldn't help but worry, 'I hope he's not getting sick.'

"Nice of you to join us," said Xander, as Nick entered. The seemingly genuine smile on his face betraying his sarcastic words.

"Sorry I'm late." Nick's words were bland and tired sounding. He didn't spare Xander a single glance. Madison saw Xander's face fall. He almost seemed hurt by the lack of acknowledgement.

Madison frowned as she watched Nick over her shoulder as he approached her sister.

"Didn't sleep well," explained Nick as he came to a stop in front of Vida, putting on his work shirt as he did. Madison turned and leant against a small cupboard, trying not to look like she was watching.

"Aww, did that scary thunder keep you up?" Vida cooed teasingly at Nick. Acting as if she was suddenly remembering something, she continued, "Oh, I forgot. You're not afraid of anything right?"

"Very funny," replied Nick, shooting a humourless smile at Vida.

Madison felt another pang of jealousy shoot through her at their brief banter. It seemed like even Vida was on the path to forgiveness. Seemed like it was just her and Xander on the outside now.

At that instant, their morphers chimed at once, sounding nothing like your typical cell phone, which made her absently wonder why nobody ever seemed to pick up on how strange that all was.

"No rest for the weary." She said, giving Nick a gentle pat on the back before turning and jogging out the door. She didn't want to push her luck in the hopes he might say something more than what was required today.

Maybe tomorrow she could get a smile out of him.

-

_-Xander-_

Leaning against the front counter, book in one hand, calculator in the other, but all focus on the door, Xander vaguely heard someone emerging from the storeroom door as it slammed shut. Looking down at the objects in his hand, he tried to get some more work done but every time he went to do so, his mind went blank. Yet every time he looked at the door, his mind was racing with questions and thoughts about everything that had happened.

'_How can I trust you if you don't trust me?' _Nick's words still echoed in his head as he tried to grasp his meaning_. 'I expected better from you guys, especially you_.'

It wasn't even just Nick's words. It was everything. The way his eyes practically glowed when he was angry, the smell of his cologne. Did Nick wear cologne? Shit, he was turning into such a girl. Somehow he doubted most guys were turned on by the smell of another guy. His eyes bulged at his thoughts.

'Turned on?!?' he almost fainted with this revelation. 'No way, I was just admiring the cologne he used. I was considering getting some for myself.'

Xander shook his head frustrated. He couldn't get Nick off of his mind. Ever since that moment, that one moment where everything seemed to be pushing him in his direction, screaming at him to just do it, get it over with. The emotions clear in Nick's eyes. He almost gave in. Almost took that step forward. Almost closed the gap between their bodies, then their faces. Almost satisfied the voices screaming in his head to place his lips on Nick's oh so perfect-

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rapid footsteps approaching the store. He knew exactly who it would be. He watched the Nick-shaped shadow coming up to the door.

"Nice of you to join us," He meant it to just be a casual sarcastic comment, but he couldn't help the large grin that spread across his face as he spoke.

"Sorry I'm late." Nick stated in a monotone voice as he kept walking straight past Xander, not sparing him another glance since his quick assessing look around as he entered the door.

Xander's face fell. It stung being so readily dismissed. He felt so unexpectedly hurt by such a simple gesture, or lack thereof, that could easily be explained away. He didn't understand what he had done. He had apologised last night, but now this complete dismissal was hurting far more than Nick's burning anger ever had. How was Nick able to hurt him so bad without doing anything?

"He'll get past it you know." Chip's voice startled him back to reality, drawing his attention away from where Nick was talking to Vida.

"Huh?" was all he got out to voice his confusion at Chip's words. He attempted to get back to work, occasionally shooting a glance back towards Nick.

"You want him to like you," Chip stated as he leant against the counter. Xander began to panic inside, while attempting to maintain his composure. "You want his respect, and you want his trust. You will get it back; he just needs to get to know us all over again. He's holding you and Madison so far away because every time you see him you try to apologise. He just wants to get it back to normal so we can rebuild what was damaged."

"When did you get so wise?" Xander asked his read-headed friend.

"You'd be surprised how deep and philosophical a comic book can get." Chip grinned at him.

The chiming of their morphers drew their attention. Checking it briefly he followed Chip out the door, with Vida right on his heels.

_---Later_

After all was calm again, the threat quelled and the temporary peace restored to Briarwood and they had returned to work, Xander found himself watching Nick as they all prepared for the end of the day. Chip was already on his way home, and Madison and Vida were overseeing the closing of the shop for the night. But Nick just seemed to be unwilling to leave just yet. He appeared to be eager for some company but every time someone would try and talk to him, he would just turn and walk away, only really saying an occasional word to a question Vida might ask.

After one more failed attempt to get Nick to talk to him, one of many, Xander finally had enough. Muttering angry things under his breath, he grabbed whatever he needed and sped out the door. He was just so OVER it all. Sure they had hurt Nick pretty bad, and sure it had been a long and stressful day for him, not like it was a cakewalk for the rest of them, but this was getting ridiculous. Just what would be enough to get Nick to look him in the eye again?

He had barely made it 2 meters away from the door when a voice called his name from behind. Xander couldn't help it. He froze in his tracks. Of all times for Nick to start talking to him again, it had to be now.

"Xander, wait up." Nick called, jogging out after him. "Look, I'm sorry but I am just not ready to let it slide just yet."

"Why not?" Xander almost yelled at the shorter man. "Haven't we more than proved how sorry we are for all that shit? Just what will be enough Nick? Just what do you want?"

"I just want to be left alone!" Nick was yelling in reply. "I just want to get away from all the pity, all the apologies and guilty looks that fly at me whenever any of you see me. I got enough of all that when…"

Nick broke off with an aggravated sigh. Xander just stood and waited for him to continue. He obviously needed to vent, instead of holding it all in like he seemed to have been doing.

"I know how sorry you guys are. I get it, I really do. And I'm not angry or anything. I just need some space to recover." Nick attempted to explain. "Can you give me that? I mean between work and… rangering, I see you all more than I see my sister who I live with. It's just too much too soon."

Nick sighed, as he began to pace slightly in front of Xander, eyes now locked on his feet. He stopped after a moment and looked up at Xander. Some unknown, but somehow familiar emotion flickered across his expression briefly before he returned his gaze to the ground.

"I just want everything to be normal again." He finished sounding defeated and hurt.

Somehow Xander doubted it was from anything they had done. The look of pain on Nick's face was so raw and honest that he found himself doing something he never though he could or would do. Ever.

Nick looked up into his eyes as Xander gently lifted his chin with one hand. Gazing back into Nicks' eyes, Xander felt himself drawn in, as he slowly found himself leaning closer to Nick, his eyes fluttering shut at the same time he saw Nicks' close in sync with his. The distance between them was closed faster. He could feel Nicks' warm breath on his face…

-

_-Madison-_

Madison frowned from her position taking inventory of the CD's on shelf. She could hear Nick and Xander's voices booming loudly from just outside the door. She hoped they weren't fighting. This divide between the Rangers and their leader was just too risky to continue, and they certainly didn't need to make it worse. Placing her list down, she looked over to see the yelling had also captured her sisters' attention. She indicated wordlessly that she was going to check out what was going on. Vida replied with a nod before resuming her work.

"Guys, what's all the yelling about?" Madison started as she approached to door, noting that their raised voices had already stopped.

As she stepped out the door, she found them standing 3 feet apart, looking anywhere but at each other. Their faces flushed from their loud argument.

"If you're gonna yell could you not do it here?" She asked calmly. She didn't want to anger them any more than they already seemed to be but she and Vida still had a lot of work to do and it would be far too distracting. "We would like to finish up sometime before tomorrow. I can't concentrate with all this noise."

"Sorry Maddy." Xander flashed her one of his trademark grins, but it seemed hollow. Turning on his heel, he began to walk rapidly away from the store. "I'm outta here. Catch you tomorrow."

"I'm off too." Nicks' words were quiet and emotionless, as he disappeared back into the store, before returning moments later with his things, walking rapidly past Madison.

Shaking the confusion from her head, Madison turned and walked back into the store, making her way back to where she had left her stock list.

"Hey sis." Vida called out to her. She was now situated behind the front counter. Picking something up, she turned to throw it to her sister. "Catch."

Catching on reflex, Madison realized it was her camera. With a sigh, she turned it off and secured the lens cap before placing it next to her. The battery was almost dead, no filming for her tonight. With a sigh, she returned to work, making a mental note to scold her sister for risking serious damage to her prized possession by throwing it across a room.

She hoped that somehow everything would work out soon. She just couldn't handle this. She missed Nick, the way he was when they used to talk for ages about everything and nothing, and she could spend so much time just watching him without thoughts of guilt and fear running through her mind.

Maybe she could try and talk to him again soon.

**End Chapter 6**

_OK I'm back in the writing saddle, and I honour my return with a somewhat cliffhanger. You are sooo hating me right now haha. Another slightly shorter chapter than I intended but I managed to get everything I intended into it in a less long-winded way. It's been a while since I wrote anything new, so I may be a little rusty. And I just know my punctuation is probably a mess, but in my defence I have been writing this at 4am each morning… Well guys, it's there, the (very) long awaited continuation of A Kind Of Magic. Please tell me you liked it! I'll love you forever… well at least I will appreciate it greatly. Remember anything constructive you may have to say will be taken into consideration. Anyways, until later, stay cool, and don't do anything I wouldn't do… though I bet nobody would actually know what that might be so I shall stop my ramblings now, coz you are no doubt shouting "DUDE the chapters over! Stop typing already." Which I shall…now…………no, now……………NOW……………oh fuck it…_


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